Hey there, I’m Jess ✨. On The Signature, I share reflections on beauty, routines, travel, wellness, culture, and everyday life. For those drawn to a calmer, more intentional way of living, I send a free newsletter each month on the 7th. You're welcome to join.
Heading to Iceland was always meant to be: I love dramatic, cold, Nordic landscapes and it's where I feel my best in the world. Through the years, a few friends taunted me about my frequent journeys to Scotland, which they already considered the utmost north of the globe and "if you like the cold so much, why don't you just go to Iceland?".
Well, heading to Iceland had been on my mind for almost a decade but it's a trip that demands a bit of planning before you land.
Below you will find a day-by-day guide I wrote during the trip almost live so I don't forget any detail. Reading a travel journal after a trip is the best way to reminisce about a few spots if you have been to Iceland before, entice you to try new ones if you ever come back or if you just like travel diaries about places you never meant to visit anyway.
After a lot of tweaking in our itinerary, we decided to spend 10 days in Iceland in October for my 40th birthday. We split the trip into two parts: 7 days driving the Ring Road that would allow us to discover the island in a nutshell and finish with 3 days in Reykjavik to discover more about the city, as one could do independently in a weekend getaway.
You can also check more details about:
- where we stayed - looking for accommodation in Iceland is a whole part-time job!
- where we stopped to eat around the whole Ring Road - we did not have a single bad meal in Iceland
- a more compact Reykjavik city guide for a short weekend getaway
- what to wear in Iceland in October - codeword: layers, layers, LAYERS!
Jess
- Day 1: landing at the Keflavík Airport
- Day 2: the Golden Circle
- Day 3: crossing the South of Iceland
Day 1
Landing in Iceland for the first time
We landed at the Keflavík Airport (south of Reykjavik, the capital), on a direct flight from Copenhagen, Denmark. It was my first time flying with Icelandair and I found the airplane comfortable, the crew was extremely nice and the food was awesome.
Flying with Icelandair for the first time
We rented a car at the airport and went straight south for our first stop, from where we would tackle the Golden Circle during our first full day in Iceland the day after.
Day 2
The Golden Circle
We woke up in our accommodation and headed to Þingvellir (Thingvellir, when anglicised), a National Park with geological significance as it is set in the Rift Valley that marks the crest between the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and the boundary between the North American and the Eurasian tectonic plates. It means that when you are here, you are in between continents, literally. Historically, it is also an important site as it used to be the Icelandic parliament location until the 18th century. As it was extremely windy, we checked the ridge from a viewpoint.
After a few delicious pitstops, we headed to Geysir, a geothermal area with hot springs and geysers. You can see a geyser exploding 3 to 4 times per hour which makes for a quick visit, especially if you are sensitive to the sulphur fumes. It has a great Geysir visitor centre by the car park that will not only remind you of a shopping centre but also help keep you warm.
Afterwards, we went to the very powerful waterfalls of Gullfoss, where a strong wind hindered (or made?) our experience and we had to make it a short stop.
Thereafter, we went to Faxafoss (also known as Faxi waterfall), a gem along the Golden Circle route that many people overlook for neighbouring Gullfoss. While it’s not as massive or loud, its impressive width, the adjacent salmon ladder, and the peaceful surroundings make it totally worth a stop. It gets way fewer crowds than the larger waterfalls, and the viewpoints let you get quite close to the water for some great photos. We were basically alone during our visit.
Our last stop from an already very full day was at the Laugarás Lagoon, that was a superb experience. I confess I was a bit scared to go as I had never had a geothermal lagoon experience. The changing rooms and bathrooms provided for a luxurious experience as all was brand new, and entering the Lagoon with the surrounding views was absolutely magical. You have several spots where you can sit down and enjoy the water. As the lagoon was not full of people, we had a very relaxing experience. There are also several levels, nooks and bars at the lagoon, where you can order a drink while bathing. It was a great first lagoon experience and I had to purchase the lagoon's products afterwards as I wanted to keep that amazing wild berries scent lingering on me for the rest of eternity.
And with many activities, we called it a day and headed back to the hotel to have my birthday dinner.
Day 3
Crossing the South of Iceland
We left our gorgeous first hotel in Iceland and headed further south on the Ring Road. We crossed the cute town of Selfoss (which has a great number of supermarkets if you need the pitstop), headed to the waterfall Seljalandsfoss. It is absolutely impressive as you can see people walk behind it.
And then you become one of those people. The path behind the waterfall is slippery and misty. Do not attempt if you have fear of heights and don't have waterproof clothes. Also, forget your glasses, they will get foggy. Better put them in your pocket!
Behind the Seljalandsfoss waterfall
This waterfall is part of the Seljalands River that has its origin in the infamous volcano glacier Eyjafjallajökull, which we saw a few minutes later in its grandiosity. If you were born before 2010, you might remember how this volcano disrupted the world aviation for weeks as the ashes were scattered between North America and Europe. It was also a great pitstop with a cute bakery with an unusual (yet delicious) Baileys latte.
As I never get tired of waterfalls, Iceland has plenty a few (kilo)metres apart from one another. Some are small and have no parking area for you to stop so you catch glimpses from the car windows. Others, such as Skógafoss have all the premises for a proper stop. You cannot walk behind this powerful waterfall but local mythology (sagas) say that gold is hidden behind its water curtain. I will never know.
At Skógafoss
Onwards, we headed to Dyrhólaey, close to the town of Vik. It's a small peninsula with picturesque views over black sand beaches such as the Reynisfjara beach that you might remember from a few movies such as The Odyssey.
Also, at the viewpoint, there is a large arch of volcanic rock in the sea, that some call the Dyrhólaey door.
We took the opportunity as we were in Vik to head to Katla Wool, an Icelandic Wool shop, as we wanted to buy Icelandic knitwear. And we needed it! This is a very small yet cute store, where you can see the knitters at work. We picked a couple of sweaters and I grabbed a wool earband as I get really cold in my ears and beanies are not always practical. It's the most practical things especially with curly or afro hair, as you can let your hair be free!
My purchases at Katla Wool in Vik
We then continued the journey east, surrounded by more black sand beaches and the impressive glaciers of Vatnajokull, an immense ice cap in southern Iceland.
It was my first time seeing glaciers and it was an impressive sight, from the black rock of the mountain to the white of the ice.
Almost at sundown, we stopped at Diamond Beach, a striking black sand beach famed for the huge, glistening iceberg fragments that drift ashore from the neighbouring Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. It was a pure golden hour moment and we could not have asked for a better sight at the end of a very fulfilling day... and then...
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